Residents who attended a May 10 Inland Wetlands Commission (IWC) public hearing in the Municipal Center's Council Chambers on a heavy-wrecker firm's proposal to expand its Mt Pleasant Road business po...
The Catherine Violet Hubbard Foundation's proposal to construct an animal sanctuary and related facilities at a 34-acre site off Old Farm Road at Fairfield Hills is scheduled for presentation, discuss...
The dispatchers at the Newtown Emergency Communications Center (NECC) at Town Hall South at 3 Main Street report the following fire calls and the responders:
Thursday, May 4: 4:14 pm, motor vehicl...
Police Chief James Viadero told Police Commission members on May 2 that he would be meeting with First Selectman Pat Llodra by the end of that week to start formulating a document through which the to...
An attorney for a development firm that wants to build a major multifamily rental complex at a 35-acre site at 79 Church Hill Road, near the Exit 10 interchange of Interstate 84, is scheduled to discu...
Toddy Hill Road area residents upset by speeding motorists who drive recklessly along that street which links Sandy Hook to Botsford have told Police Commission members they want heightened traffic en...
There were a number of references to rain on May 6 as Team 26 trundled into Newtown.
Greeted by a welcoming crowd of nearly 100, the cyclists' celebrated arrival came following four chilly and mostly ...
Borough Zoning Commission (BZC) members have been considering potential future uses for Edmond Town Hall at 45 Main Street, as well other potential future uses along Main Street. The BZC will seek com...
This report was updated at 5 pm on May 15 with new information on where to register for the Relay Survivors and Caregivers Brunch.
Over the nearly decade and a half that Newtown has hosted its R...
Appreciated the opportunity to hear from both candidates as we were present for the College Dems forum but only heard from Brandon Moore. It was an opportunity to see who can unseat the Republican incumbent and there is no doubt that Brandon Moore should be the Democratic candidate. One concerned parent posed a question about discrimination unaddressed by the school district and interestingly enough, Michelle Ku, who proudly speaks of her Board membership years, said little, while Brandon Moore passionately addressed the issue along with his experience as an Apache Helicopter Commander. This family is supporting Brandon Moore. We need change and someone who is not afraid to disagree, especially about the rising costs of living in Newtown.
I am glad to see First Selectman Bruce Walczak engaging the electorate. Mark your calendars, folks — apparently, communication from Town Hall is possible after all.
But where was Bruce two days ago, when Connecticut State Police requested assistance from Newtown Police after two individuals fled on foot from an I-84 crash? As a manhunt went through town, police were stationed at our schools, and many residents checked their car doors, deadbolted their houses, and armed themselves (Thank you James from Port Conway).
That sounds like exactly the kind of situation where residents would expect timely communication from town leadership. Parents, neighbors, and residents in the affected area should not have to piece together information after the fact while police are actively searching the community.
The issue is not whether our police did their job. They did. The issue is whether Town Hall is doing its job when it comes to keeping residents informed during real-time public safety situations.
If the First Selectman can write to residents about the importance of showing up for the budget, he should also show up when residents are looking for clear, timely information during an active police incident. This kind of communication was promised during the campaign.
Unfortunately, Bruce Walczzzzak is starting to look like just another politician: campaign on change, criticize the last guy, ask taxpayers for more staff, and then tell residents the job still cannot be done.
528 more feet of broadsheet paper ... we have passed the dump ... as for the details, it is worth pointing out that Merrimack's coal plant shifted to two (2) 4 oil generators. I wonder if this is why crude oil production hit record highs in July...
Where was our CodeRED?
For over 4 years Newtown has a CodeRED system. The town tells residents it exists for emergencies and points to things like missing persons, wildfires, and criminal activity as the kinds of incidents it is meant to address. Yet we had no CodeRED for Kateri Doty, no CodeRED for the brush fires, and no CodeRED for yesterday’s manhunt with police and tracking dogs moving through our backyards.
That is not one oversight. That is a pattern.
Under sleepy Bruce Walczak, the town has an emergency notification system that never seems to get used when actual emergencies happen.
Whether or not Bruce physically sends the alert himself is beside the point. If the system is not being used, if residents are left hearing about dangerous situations from Facebook and the neighbors’ kids instead of from their own government, then that failure belongs to him.
Newtown residents should not have to guess when there is a public safety issue unfolding around them. If Bruce Walcz"zzz"ak cannot make sure an emergency alert system is used for emergencies, then what exactly is he doing?
So your counterpoint is that The Bee prints the same number of pages regardless of how much content appears in it. If that is true, then I stand corrected. I actually doubt that is the case.
